Sofa-bed.



F. W. GENT.

SOFA BED.

APPLICATION H LED JULY 27,19l4.

Patented J lily 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-:SHEET I- npzwtoi wi/tmeooe F. W. GENT.

SOFA BED.

APPLlCATlON HLED1 ULY 27,1914.

L23318u Patentedluly 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- FRANK W. GENT, OF WELLSVILLE, NEW YORK.

SOFA-BED;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July io, iaivi.

Application filed July 27, 1914. Serial No. 353,257.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. GENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wellsville, in the county of Allegany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sofa-Beds, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The invention relates to combination sofa and bed construction by means of which a sofa can be quickly and easily changed into a bed or a bed into a sofa; and the improvements consist in providing a folding bed with hinged arms for the sofa ends and an attachment which supports the hinged sofa arms in different positions in relation to the sofa end, and the construction of said attachment is such that when the arms are in the horizontal or semi-lowered position they are so strongly supported that they may form seats or head supports for the bed or sofa end; and the invention consists in the novel features and combinations hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sofa with the folding bed in the open position and the sofa arms turned down into the horizontal or seat position, showing the convenience of the construction.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the outer side of the sofa bed end without the upholstering cover, showing the frame work and hinge and support construction for the sofa arm; and Fig.- 3 is a front elevation of the sofa bed end, showing the arm in the lowered or horizontal position, the semilowered being shown in dotted outline.

Fig. 4; is a perspective view of the lower portion of the supporting attachment for the sofa arm; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the lower end of the link for attaching to the sofa arm; Fig. 6 is an elevation of the parts with the link pin in section at the point where it passes the latch on the lower supporting plate; and Fig. 7 is'an elevation of the supporting attachment with the link pin in the semi-lowered position within the supporting notch on the plate.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the uncovered sofa end frame, showing the beveled joint between the back and sofa arm.

Like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts in the several views,

The'numeral 10 designates the sofa which has the ends 11, back 12, and arms 13 which are hinged at 14 to the sofa end 11.

The frame of the sofa end 11 is connected totlie back '12 and the frame for the arms 13 is separated from the back portion of the end 11 by the beveled joint 15 so that the arm 13 shuts against the beveled portion of the end 11 and a'spring catch 16 holds the arm firmly in the vertical position.

The frames for the end 11 and arm 13 are composed. of two vertical standards made from heavy frame pieces which are connected by strong cross bars and are severed about midway of their length by a V-shaped opening 17 which opens outwardly; The hinges 14 are placed at the bottom of the V or in line with the inner edge of said standards so that a limited hinge or turning movement is permitted the arms 13, said turning movement being limited by the size ofthe V-shaped opening 17, preferably permitting the arm 13 to turn to the horizontal position, in which position the opposite walls ofthe V-shaped opening 17 rest upon one another. A double link attachment is provided between the arm 13 and the end 11 on each of said standards to hold the arm 13 firmly in line and at the same time arrange for supporting it in an exactly horizontal position or semi-lowered position asfor a head support, which attachment is constructed as follows: A lower holding plate 18 is attached by suitable screws through screw-holes19 in the lower end and is off-set above said points of attachment so as to permit a link piece 20 passing in be tween theplate 18 and the frame work of the sofa end 11.

.The'plate 18 has a long curved or bowed slot 21 which receives therethrough the headed pin or wrist 22 on the link 20, which pin plays upward and downward within the slot 21 as the arm 13 is raised and lowered allowing its free end movement. The slot 21 is ofexactly the correct length to permit the arm "13 being raised to the vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, or to the horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3, in which horizontal position the pin 22 of the link 20 rests in the lower end of the slot 21, as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 7.

A notch 23 is provided midway of the length of the side wall of the slot into which the pin 22 passe'sas the arm is raised". In ordersthat the pin-22 may pass freely to the 7 lower end of the slot 21 in turningthe arm 13 to the horizontal position and not enter notch 23, a latch piece 25 is providedwhich is pivotally attached to the plate 18 so that the end 26 of the latch piece 25 extends into the slot 21 and closes the notch 23 when in its normal lowered position. A sidewise enlargement 24f is provided in the opposite wall of'the slot 21 from the point 26.0f the latch25 when in the lowered position to permit the free passage of the pin .22 to the lower end of the slot 21.

,As the pin 22 passes up from the lower end of the slot it engages the point 26 of *the latch .25, as shown in dotted line in vFig. '7',lraising the latch 25 and permitting the pin 22 to pass into the notch 23. In order that the latch piece 25 may notv get out of position a long notch 27 is provided in the lower side of the latch 25 and a pin 28 is providedon theplate 18 which engages in the. notch thereby controlling the pivotal-movement ofthe latch piece 25 yet per: mitting the free ingress and egress of the pin 22 from the notch 23 when said pin 22 israised fromthe lower position, but vguarding thenotch 23 as said .pin 22 passes downward from the upper portion of the slot 21. Ihe upper end of the link .20 is pivotally attached to a bracket piece 29 which isattached-to the frame work of the sofa arm 13. It is now apparent that the sofa bed arm may be raised .to the vertical position shown in Fig- 2, which position the link 20 will drawthe wrist pin 22 to the upper end of the slot 21. When it is desired to turn the arm 13 to the horizontal or seat position. it is .simply pushed outward and the pin 22 passes to the lower end of the slot 21 where it is firmly supported. When, however, it'is desired to hold the arm 13 in an inclined or semi-lowered position as shown in dotted-line in Fig. 3 for a head support for the sofa or to assist in support-- ing the pillows for the sofa bed, the arm 13 is raised from the lower portion of the slot 21thereby engaging the point 26 of the latch 25 with the, pin 22 and raising said latch 25iand per'mitting said pin, 22 to pass .intothe notch 23, thereby firmly supporting saidarm 13 in the semi-lowered position. It is obvious also that a plurality of notches similar to notch 23 with latches 2 5 may be provided in the side wall ofthe slot 21 to provlde for graduated adjustments oftli'e arm 13 without departing frominy invention.

a i The two links20 with their supporting plates 18 and 29 form an exceedingly strong and durable support for the sofa bed arm at the exact position desired, and when it is desired to raisethe arm 13' to the" vertical position it 1s"simply lifted into P1306 and.

and a folding spring bed 32 provided within the seat 30 having suitable hinged leg supports and hinged attachment to the sofa frame and that when spread forth in the position shown in Fig. 1 forms a strong and convenient bed with the sofa arms 13 turned down out of the way to serve as convenient seats or for other purposes.

I claim as new:

1. In combination with a sofa frame, an end hinged thereto, a link pivoted to said end, slotted means on the frame, a projection on said link movable in said slot, said slot having a lateral extension, and a gravity latch controlling the entrance to said extension.

'2. In combination with a sofa frame and a hinged end therefor, a link pivoted to said end and having a projection, means on the frame slotted to receive said projection, the slot being laterally extended to hold the link inclined in one position of the link, and means operable by the projection .for controlling the admission of the-projection into the lateral slot extenslon.

3. A sofa bed end consisting of a sofa end frame, an arm hinged on said sofa end frame to turn outwardly, a support for said arm comprising a link pivotally attached at its upper end to said arm, a wrist pin on the lower end of said link, a plate attached to said end frame below said arm, said plate having a slot therein engaged by said wrist pin, said slot bowed to allow the free action of said link in raising and lowering said arm, said slot having a notch in the side wall thereof, a latch on said plate to normally close the mouth of said notch, said latch adapted to be raised by said wrist pin and link.

4. A sofa bed end comprising an end frame,- a'n arm'hinged to said end frame, an attachment for supporting said arm in a lowered position comprising a slotted plate having a notchin the side wall of the slot, a latch to guard said notch and extending into said slot, the wall of said slot having. a sidewise enlargement opposite said latch, said slotted plate attached to said end frame, and a link pivotall attached to said arm and engaging in sai slot to enter said notch and support said hinged arm in the lowered position.

5. A sofa bed end comprising a frame, an arm hinged on said frame and having a rearwardly oblique joint between said arm and the rear portion of said frame, a spring catch on said'rear portion to hold said arm in the raised position, a pair of attachments for supporting said arm in the horizontal position each comprising a link pivotally attached to the arm, a slotted plate attached to the end frame beneath said pivotally attached link and engaged thereby within the slot in said plate, said slot formed to permit the movement of said arm from the raised to the lowered position, said plate having a notch in the side wall of said slot to be engaged by said link, a latch pivotally attached to said plate to close the opening into said notch and extending into said slot, said plate having a sidewise enlargement in the wall of said slot opposite said latch, and a notch in said latch and a pin on said plate to control the position of said latch.

6. In combination with a sofa frame, and

a hinged end thereon, a supporting element said second part from engagement by the supporting element but adapted to be displaced from guarding position by a certain predetermined movement of said supporting element to allow such engagement whereby the said sofa end is held in inclined position.

7. In combination with a sofa frame, and a hinged end thereon, a supporting element connected to the end, means engaging the element having a part to hold the end horizontal and a second part to hold the end at an incline, and ,swingable gravity responsive means normally guarding said second part from engagement by the supporting element but adapted to be displaced from guarding position by a certain predetermined movement of said supporting element to allow such engagement whereby the said sofa end is held in inclined position.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK W. GENT. Witnesses:

GLADYS P. ANDERSON, HAROLD FORSBERY.'

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissibner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. p 

